ALG's Green Tips #6: Clean 'n Green for Dummies - An 8 Week Course (Weeks 5-8)

[amileegirl]

Go to Part I:  Weeks 4-8 

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Clean 'n Green for Dummies:  Week 5

Introducing Salt and Lemon (and Citris Cousins)





Lemon and Salt

This week is really simple.   You can substitute lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit for vinegar in any recipe thus far.   Though it is much better to just  add lemon to the vinegar cleaning products you've already made for a fresh citrus scent addition.   Oh, they are also very tastey -- I love lemons!

First, purchase yourself a little palm sized grater for zesting if you don't already have one:  



Use Lemon and/or Salt to:

Scrub your cutting board:   Pour on salt and scrub with half a lemon.

Freshen the disposal:  The lemon you just used?  Throw it in the disposal.

Clean Copper:   Pour on the salt and scrub with the lemon or lemon juice.

Remove wine/grape juice stain:   Pour salt on the stain, let sit to absorb, vacuum

Stubborn grape stain on the counter:   Let a disc of lemon or lemon juice sit on the stain, cover with baking soda and then scrub it away.

Natural Sunny Bleach:   Add lemon juice to the rinse cycle of white clothes instead of vinegar then hang out to dry.  The lemon juice acts as a bleach booster for the sun.  (also works to lighten your hair)

Grapefruit and Salt:   Dip half a grapefruit into salt and scrub your counters free of stains.

Cold Garbage Disposal Cleaner:   Freeze used lemon bits into ice cubes and throw a few in the disposal and turn it on.   It cleans the blades and freshens (its kind of noisy!)    If you want the cubes to do double duty, you can make them water, lemon juice, and lemon zest so they can be plopped into an iced tea or other refreshment.

Groady Fixtures and Shower Head:   Make a paste of 3 parts salt, 1 part baking soda, and enough vinegar to make a paste.  Schmear it on the fixtures and let it sit for a while then rinse away.  Shiney!

Citrusy House:   Peel the lemon or lime before using (I prefer a knife to get nice thin slices of all zest and dry them out in the oven).  The house will smell good and then you can take the dried pieces, cut them into smaller pieces and put them in your vinegar solutions to scent them over time.


Recipe!   Baking Soda Carpet Deodorizer

In a jar with holes punched in the lid or in a parmesan cheese dispenser, fill with baking soda and add lemon zest, or orange zest, or lime zest, or dried lavender flowers, or mint, or potpourri of your choice.        Sprinkle on carpet, let sit for a few hours if you can, then vacuum.


SMART TIP:  To keep the smell contained and prevent spills, cover the jar mouth with a round piece of paper, foil, or plastic before putting the lid on for storage.

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Clean 'n Green for Dummies:  Week 6

Wood Wonders with Oil!


    +  +  = 


The Furniture Needs Love Too!

You've probably run out of spray bottles by now, so decide how many you want this week based upon the new recipes you want to make.

You can use a regular size spray bottle for the cleaner and duster, but for the furniture polish recipe, I suggest buying a small spray bottle.  You don't want to mix too much and have the oil go rancid.   Halve the recipe if you don't have a lot of wood furniture.   Don't forget to label the spray bottles!

If you are worried about the olive oil going rancid (though if you don't use too much and wipe it off well that shouldn't happen), go with jojoba -- it won't go rancid because its really a wax.  Almond oil has its own cent -- use your nose and decide what you want.   You don't have to use lemon...lime, orange, and grapefruit work just as well.


Recipe:   Lemon Fresh Furniture Polish

Combine:
1/2 cup olive oil/almond/jojoba oil
1/4 cup lemon juice

Shake well before each use.   Spray a very small amount on (a little goes a long way) and wipe with a cloth, or spray or dab on the cloth then wipe.    Test in an inconspicuous spot before doing the whole piece.   (you can also throw in zest pieces to get a deeper infusion)


Recipe:   Lemon Fresh Light Furniture Duster

Combine:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp olive/almond/jojoba oil

Shake well before each use.   Spray on and wipe with a cloth, or spray or dab on the cloth then wipe.    Test in an inconspicuous spot before doing the whole piece.    (you can also throw in zest pieces to get a deeper infusion)


Recipe:   Wood Cabinet and Paneling Cleaner

Combine:
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil/almond/jojoba oil

Shake well before use.   Wipe on and wipe off.  Test it in an inconspicuous spot first. 

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Clean 'n Green for Dummies:  Week 7

Armed and Dangerous...



Let's Freshen Up!

First a Recap  of your Prepared Arsenal:

1. Baking soda and 50% Vinegar in all bathrooms and the kitchen
2. Baking soda, vinegar, and borax in the laundry room
3. All Purpose Cleaner
4. Bathroom Disinfectant Cleaner
5. Dishwashing Mix
6. Carpet Deodorizer
7. Furniture Polish 
8. Furniture Duster/Cleaner

Purchased Detergents/Soaps

1.  Earth friendly laundry detergent
2.  Earth friendly dish soap
3.  Earth friendly regular soap

What's Next?

1.  Replace your toothpaste with a SLS free kind
     or with a mix of equal parts baking soda/salt and xylitol to taste if desired
2.  Replace your shampoo with detergent free 
     or baking soda and vinegar
3.  Get rid of all commercial air fresheners


Stove Top Air Freshener

In a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water heat until hot cinnamon sticks, cloves, all spice, or nutmeg in any single spice or combination desired.   Once hot, turn off and the house will smell of spice.


Recipe:  Ginger Spice Spray Air Freshener

1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vinegar)
1-3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix well in a small spray bottle and spray wherever desired.


Recipe:  Scent Essence Air Freshener

1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vinegar)

Your Choice:
Lemon Extract (or lemon juice/zest)
Lime Extract (or lemon juice/zest)
Vanilla Extract (or vanilla bean)
Almond Extract

Mix well in the concentration desired in a small spray bottle and spray wherever desired. 



Recipe (Advanced):  Closet and Drawer Freshener Pomander Ball

What you need:

1.  An orange (something with thin skin not thick!) or another citrus fruit.
     Apples also work nicely.
2.  Whole cloves
3.  2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
4.  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5.  2 teaspoons allspice
6.  2 teaspoons orris root powder OR sandalwood oil  (essential)
7.  A nail or embroidery needle about the width of the clove stems

** you may use any spice pre-mixture you want.  Apple Pie Spice, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Garam Masala, etc.**

Prick holes in the fruit in a desired pattern.  The most common is up and down rows, but you can get fancy.   Insert cloves into the holes about 1/8 of an inch apart.     Mix the spices in a bowl and roll the fruit in it until it is completely covered (use the leftovers to make more pomanders).   Put the fruit into a paper bag and keep in a cool, dry, dark place for three weeks to six weeks so that it can shrink and harden (it won't mold because of the orris root powder).    When cured properly it will be light and sound hollow if tapped on a surface.   If you use sandalwood oil paint the fruit with the oil (you don't need a lot) then roll into the spices.

Toss into a drawer or attach a pretty ribbon with pins to the dried pomander and hang in a closet or wherever you want a nice scent.   You can also affix a ribbon or string to the top of the fruit first and then put in the cloves.   If you want to wrap the ribbon around the fuit, use masking tape the width of the desired ribbon to mask off an area before studding with cloves.  Pomanders keep indefinitely.   To freshen the smell of a very old pomander, brushing it with orange oil or clove oil will keep it going. 

 **Note: not my recipe I lifted it from google.  I couldn't remember how to make it. 

Orange:       
Lime:      Lemon:     Apple:

 

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Clean 'n Green for Dummies:  Week 8

You've Come A Long Way Baby!

   


You Can Consider Yourself a Tree Hugger!

So you should be at intermediate level now and you are well on your way to making more green changes in the weeks to come.   Here are a few more recipes for you to add to your arsenal.   These are the last friends you will meet in this series:  Aloe and Witch Hazel

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Recipe:  On the Go Lemony Fresh Sanitizing Handwipes

1/4 cup alcohol
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup aloe juice (optional)
1/2 lemon juiced
Paper Towels cut to size and folded, or reusable flannel/cotton cloth
Sealable ziptop plastic bag or small flat tupperware

Mix all the ingredients and paper towels/cloths and seal in a flat tupperware container or a small jar.  Your container should be small enough to be easily portable and stored in a purse, diaper bag, or glove compartment.  This is meant for travel cleaning on the go.       Paper towels is a convenience but you can buy recycled ones to compensate, using cloth requires you to take care to have a place to toss the used ones (easy to do, just keep a small toss bag in the car or diaper bag)



Recipe:  Easy Soothing Baby Wipes

2 cups of witch hazel
1 cup aloe vera juice
Paper towels or reusable cotton/flannel cloths

Find a suitable container to your liking (a big one for the home and a small flat one for on the go).    Mix well and use like regular commercial wipes.



Baking Soda and Vinegar Parting Tips:

To deter ants:   sprinkle baking soda along ant paths outside the home

To clean tools and pots:  mix baking soda and vinegar into a paste, schmear on your tools and gardon pots, rinse clean, and dry thoroughly.

To keep outdoor cushions fresh:   store in bags sprinkled with baking soda before storing for the season.

To freshen the dog:   sprinkle baking soda on fur, leave for a few minutes then brush off (best done outside!)

To remove fleas:   wash dog or cat in a solution of vinegar and water.  Don't rinse -- let air dry.

To freshen pet beds:  Sprinkle with baking soda, let sit for an hour or more and vacuum clean.



COOL TIP:  Put large bay leaves strategically in your cabinets to deter bugs.   I have bay leaf "bits" in open mini preserve containers in the corners of my cabinet labeled  Bug-B-Gone.

 

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And there you have it.  8 Weeks to a greener home.

[ithi]

Jul. 11, 2008 at 11:19 PM Thanks for these tips!  I will certainly be using some of those ideas!

[ScoutsWife05]

Jul. 13, 2008 at 12:35 PM I am so glad to see these.  I was given the 101 uses for vinegar, baking soda, and salt books and I love them.  It's always great to see even more ideas.

[duckigrrl]

Aug. 16, 2008 at 11:15 AM

i love these ideas! Thank you for taking the time to write them all down.

[brianahernandez]

May. 12, 2009 at 8:19 PM

All I can say is "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!"